


Second Chances

by Piper15



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: Post-Season/Series 05 AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:09:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23034532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piper15/pseuds/Piper15
Summary: So, this is the first fanfiction I ever wrote and posted on FFN. I've been on a bit of a That 70s Show binge which reminded me how much I loved Hyde and Jackie (until Season 8 but I pretend that didn't happen and find fanfics that are much better than what the writers actually did), so it'll need some (lots) of editing, but hoping people enjoy it.As usual, I try to stay as true to character as possible.This is set post Season 5 when Jackie choose herself and does end in a happy ending.  After some angst of course cause I love my angst!!
Relationships: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 7
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter 1

The summer just didn't seem to end and not in a good way. Despite Hyde’s best effort to be constantly busy to make it go faster. August would start in 2 days but July had seemed to last 2 years. 

Finishing yet another Saturday 10 hour shift at the hotel on a 6 day work week, all by his own creation as he basically took any shift someone needed coverage if not already scheduled, he got into the El Camino to go for yet another two hour drive before going home to sleep a few hours and return for the morning shift. Maybe stop to have a few beers at any random bar he drove by. Despite all of that Hyde found himself sitting in the basement by 11pm. Alone. 

The one good thing about being alone was not having to pretend to not to notice his friends were going off to college while he was staying here. Pretend it didn't bother him that Jackie still hadn't made up her mind about him or Kelso or that seeing her sunbathing next door at Donna's whenever he left the basement didn't give him a hard on. That it didn’t bother him with her taking a summer for herself, which, he may respect but continue to piss him off despite not dealing with it despite appearance. He wanted her to say she wanted him and only him. It was so frustrating!  
Sighing, the only up side had been making a lot of money and with no one to spend it on he would likely have enough to move out sooner than later, if he wanted too. Living elsewhere would mean not seeing Jackie, so upside, but it would also mean living the only family he had ever known. Also he was pretty sure Mrs. Foreman would not actually let him move out but lock him in the basement to prevent it or guilt him into staying. Mrs. Foreman would probably want all of them to stay until she died; though likely Red would outlive them all just so he could say "Dumbass" on top of all their graves.  
And not seeing Jackie every day, even if was torture, didn’t really appeal if he was honest with himself. If she didn’t see him, how could she pick him?  
Glancing at his watch, 11:30 pm might go to bed since he had to be back at work for 6am, just as easy to stare at the ceiling listening to music as to sit on the chair and stare at the TV. Getting up to walk to his bedroom, deciding bed would be the better option as he’d eventually fall asleep as the bed no longer spelt like Jackie, the phone ran as he was half way across. Despite the temptation to not answer when it wouldn’t stop he groaned walking back to answer it. 

Maybe it's Jackie, unlikely, more likely Donna looking for Eric or Kelso to be annoying or Fez to ask some dumbass question about something Hyde didn’t care about. Or, with his luck, Mr. Foreman who would yell at him even more if he didn’t answer as no one seemed to be home. Which was weird but who knows with this group. 

"Hello-"

"Hyde, finally, you're home. WHere the hell have you been? I’ve been calling and calling. I even tried the hotel but they said you had left for the night." Eric said anxiously into the phone.

“Went for a drive and had a beer --”

"Look you need to come down to the hospital right away,” Eric interrupted frantically.

"Why, did Red finally shove his foot so far up your ass they need to surgically remove it?" Hyde asked laughing. 

"No," Eric replied before taking a deep breathe and continuing to speak, "It's Jackie. She went to visit her Dad in prison today and on the way back there was an accident. She was hit by a drunk driver, she’s in intensive care. You need to get down here right now.” 

"Hyde? Are you there" Eric asked as all he heard was the phone fall to the floor and running steps before the door slammed, “Hyde?”


	2. Chapter 2

Red sat in the hospital waiting room watching the kids across the room trying to make sure no one lost it or went anywhere. Rubbing a hand over his face, he couldn’t believe this had occurred to one of HIS kids, espey the kid he had a real soft spot for, the Loud One. He had been working at the Price Mart when Kitty had called him, frantically from work, saying he had to come to hospital immediately as Jackie had been brought in after an accident, call Bob and come immediately. It had taken him 10 minutes from the store to the hospital.

Kitty had been about to leave the hospital at the end of her shift, 6:09 pm, when Jackie had come into the emergency room out of the ambulance on a stretcher, unconscious with a breathing mask and the EMT yelling about a patient with internal and head injuries from a car accident. Kitty had immediately followed her in, explaining that she and Red were Jackie’s guardians and would make any decisions that needed to be made. Once she had been assured that Jackie would live but needed surgery she had called Red.  
Red arrived at 6:42 pm and had found Kitty in the waiting room, Jackie having been taken to be prepped for surgery, trying to just let her nurse training take over and be calm, hard to do when the surgery was on someone you loved. Seeing Red she had jumped up, wrapping her arms around him, allowed some tears to fall before updating him on everything. Knowing he needed to deal and updated Red on everything.

“What do you need me to do?” Red asked, needing to keep busy, pushing his feelings down so he wouldn't break down.

“Can you go sort out the paperwork and deal with the police officers?” KItty waved at the officers standing off to the side before continuing, “I’m going to call the kids, well Eric and he can call everyone. Then I’m going to see what kind of an update I can get.”

Within the next 30 minutes, everyone had gathered at the waiting room with Kitty and Red. Eric, Donna, Kelso, Fez, and Bob. All trying to find out what had happened and would be happening. 7:18 pm and Jackie had been in surgery for just over 15 minutes 

“Okay, okay here’s what we know,” Red said to the group, “Jackie was on her way home from visiting her Dad from prison when she was t-boned on the driver side speeding and possibly drinking. Whoever that asshole was left without checking on her or calling anyone, another person came along, police don’t know how much longer afterwards and called police. Empty part of highway and not many people there. The only thing that saved her life was the seat belt as the car pretty much buckled around her; firemen had to use the Jaws of Life to get her out and she was unconscious the entire time.”

“Is she going to live?” Donna said quietly.

“Yes, she will. They have to remove her spline and will see what else once they get in and we'll have to see about head injuries afterwards - after she wakes up. We just won't know until she wakes up,” Kitty quietly before looking around, “where is Steven?”

“I don’t know,” Eric said, “I called the hotel but he’d already left and I’ve been calling home but he hasn’t answered. I don’t even know where I would go look for him.”

“Keep calling,” was all Red said before going to sit down on a chair as everyone else followed suit. 

*********  
Jackie had been out of surgery since just after 8:15 pm, the doctors having told them it would be approximately 2 hours for the anesthetic to wear off then just have to wait and see when she woke up. Sooner would be better as the longer it took the worse it could be. and she should have started to wake up an hour ago but hadn’t. They hadn’t told the kids that yet, but time was running out on that and, more worrying, Getting up to get more disgusting coffee all Red could think is how much he’d give to hear her voice right now annoying him, be able to tell her to shut up or asking why she was always in his house. 

Walking back he took stock to everyone - the foreign kid and Kelso were doing okay as he seemed to have calmed Kelso down, Donna sat quietly in the corner, tear stained face, not speaking as she'd finally given up on asking for updates after Kitty had snapped at her after asking the 10th time. And Eric, he kept trying to get a hold of Steven, calling the house or the hotel every 15 minutes with no luck. Red had given him twenty bucks so he could get more change if he needed it. 

Where the hell was that kid??

*******  
"He's on his way," Eric finally said at 11:30 pm.

"Where the hell has he been? I'm going to shove my foot so far up his ass," Red said angrily.

"Said he went for a drive and beer, just got home. But he's on his way."

"That's all that matters," said Kitty with finality as she got up to pace around the small area.   
Jackie had come out of the surgery 3 hours ago and still hadn't woken up. 

Kitty went up to Red, jerking her head to the hallway before heading that way. Being a smart man he followed her after telling everyone to stay put 

"Oh Red, she hasn't woken up yet." Kitty said once they were out of earshot. "Maybe we should tell them Red."

"Soon Kitty, let's just wait a bit longer. We'll give it another hour and if she's not awake then we'll tell everyone. Just," he paused trying to not let out a sob, "just a little bit more time." He took her into his arms and they stood there, both trying to imagine the worst. Kitty trying to push away thought of hard decisions they might have to make and Red trying to imagine her waking up and yelling at him.

"Let's take a walk," Kitty said, "around the floor. I need to not be in that room for a bit."

They were back within 10 minutes, a commotion at the main desk drawing their attention.

"I need to see Jackie Burkhart, where is she?"

"Are you family sir?" The nurse asked.

"No, yes, I mean sort of. I just need to know -" Hyde's voice carrying down the hallway.

"I'm sorry sir but we can't give that information out," the nurse said apologetically.

"What! I-"

Red came up behind Steven, turning him around with a hand on his shoulder, "Son, calm down. Being a rude dumbass isn't going to get you anywhere. Come over here and we'll talk." 

The three walked over to the waiting room where everyone else waited, the kids jumping up to hug Hyde when they saw him. 

"Okay, okay, everyone sit down," Red said, looking at Kitty to let her talk.

"Steven, Jackie was hit by a drunk driver on her way back from visiting her dad at the prison. They've done surgery and now," Kitty took a deep breath before continuing as they'd all be hearing this information at the same time. "The problem now is she should have woken up an hour ago and hasnt. Until she wakes up they won't know if there was any brain damage.'

"Dumbass needs to wake up." Red said, not sure what else to say. 

Hyde stood in silence, not sure what to say.

Donna sat back down in her seat with a thud. Oh god. Oh god. OH GOD. The tears coming, and she could hear Jackie yelling at her that giants just weren't that dramatic plus Jackie was the one who cried in their friendship not her. She was the strong one. The only time she cried was when her mom left or Eric said he wouldn't take her back but it wasn't in front of anyone; it was in the privacy of her bedroom.   
But Jackie, Jackie was laying there almost dead after going to see her dad. At prison. Donna hadn't even offered to go because it was just too hard and she just didn't know how to support her. Plus after she and Hyde had broken up Jackie had been staying more on her own, coming around the basement less. She may live with Donna but she spent more time with her cheerleader friends.

And honestly, Donna had been mad at her for that; feeling deserted because when her and Eric had broken up, Jackie had supported her. Donna had tried to do the same for Jackie but after a while she got tired of being pushed away and called a lumberjack. The last conversation they had had was a fight with Donna calling her a selfish skinny bitch and a bad cheerleader. Jackie had just left and they hadn't talked in 2 days. Donna hadn't even known she'd gone to visit her Dad. It was amazing how you could ignore someone who lived in the same room as you. 

Oh God, what if she never woke up? Then the last conversation she would have with her best friend was a huge fight. Donna felt the tears coming back.


	3. Chapter 3

Hyde sat on the hard chair and all he could hear in his head was Jackie telling him she loved him after the whole "get off my boyfriend" episode. The wonder he had felt when she said it, how his world had centered around her. This wonderful, beautiful girl saying she loved him. The guy whose own parents didn't love him enough to stick around and when he said they were going to the dance the happiness on her while she hugged him had drowned out everything else. And for that moment he felt worthy of her love.  
Then when she started coming to the basement at night to sleep, because she didn't feel safe to stay in the big house by herself and him to keep her safe how proud he felt. Sometimes, during those nights, they would make out or talk but mostly he would just hold her when she cried from being so strong all day in front of everyone else. The privilege he felt at her feeling she didn't have to be strong with him, that he was worth of seeing her not being strong, as weird as it sounded, her feeling that she could just deal with things in front of him.

During those nights he felt worthy of Jackie and her love.

One of Steven's favourite memories was when he had shaved off his beard,the way Jackie's smile lit up her face as she realized he had done it for her. How when they were alone she had said it meant more to her then anything he or anyone could say. That he, Steven, had made her feel so much better. 

After their break up Steven thought about that moment a lot, how Jackie had squeezed him hard as they hugged and he had kissed the top of her head cause she was small in his arms and he loved it. That night they didn't really fool around very much, he just held her as they watched TV before walking her home holding hands. It had been a great evening.

Now-now they didn't even know if she was going to wake up. Hyde slumped forward, his head in his arms, wanting to yell at someone or something to give him Jackie back.

Looking up at the clock, Eric realized another hour had passed based since Red had told them. He sat holding Donna's hand and watching Steven, remembering how opposed he had originally been to their relationship. How he had called her the devil and now he was pretty sure always she got a kick out of it. 

It was weird how time past in the hospital, Kelso thought. On one hand, it felt like he had been there for days but on the other it was passing so quickly and why wasn't Jackie awake? It made no sense. Soon, she had to wake up soon. He'd give up all the hot girls in the future if she would just wake up. 

Everyone stood up as a Doctor entered the room, motioning for Kitty and Red. After a quiet but brief conversation Red started to smile while Kitty had tears and a smile on her face. Everyone stood up to quickly walk over and start asking questions.

"Is she awake?" Steven asked first.

"Yes, she's awake now." Kitty said with a smile "and they think she's going to be okay" 

"We won't know for sure until tomorrow and can do some more tests but she seems fine. She's conscious, talking and asking for Steve n. Is he here," the Doctor asked, looking around at the collection of adults and kids all now crying to some extent. Kelso sounded like he was going to hyperventilate causing the Doctor to look at him worriedly as Fez patted his back.

"I'm Steven," Hyde said stepping forward.

"Well, you come with me, she wants to see you. Kitty, Red you to come as well as her guardians. The rest of you can see her tomorrow. She shouldn't have too much activity right now," with a smile The doctor walked out of the waiting room the three trailing behind him.

Once at Jackie's room, Hyde waited outside while Kitty and Red went in with the Doctor. He could hear them talking about her condition but not making out all the words except that they would be back tomorrow to see her. He also heard the word Steven.

After a few moments all three came out with Kitty saying, "She wants to see you Steven."

With a deep breath he walked into the room, to see the girl he loved more than anything lying in a hospital bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Jackie lay on the bed watching more than listening as Mrs. Foreman and the Doctor talked to her, she’d been in a car accident and needed surgery. Now she had to stay in the hospital but not really understanding it all as the world kept coming in and out, and all she wanted to do was give in to it. And Steven, she wanted Steven. 

She managed to croak "Steven" and Kitty put her finger to her lips.

"Shh, honey, he's right outside, he’ll be in right away. Just lie still and don’t try to talk,” said Kitty, leaning over to kiss her on the check. “We’ll be outside if you need us.”

Mr. Foreman gave her a gentle hug, whispering in her ear “You’re going to be loud again soon, you hear me?” 

And with that all three left and Steven came in, the relief at seeing him overwhelming her. Her first thought waking up was where was he? She’d been waking up with Steven every morning for a couple weeks now and he never got out of bed without waking her up. Before the realization that she wasn’t in the basement, her stomach was so sore and her face felt like it had gone a couple rounds with a boxer. Making a groaning sound, her throat sore and dry, brought a nurse over with a small cup of water. 

"Oh good you're awake sweetie. You know you had us all very worried," the nurse said, holding the cup close to her so she could sip out of the straw.

"Steven" Jackie whispered.

"You rest sweetie, I'm going to get the Doctor and then we'll get your friends in here. They've been very worried about you."

And now he stood before her. Finally. He would make this better, help make sense of what had happened. 

Walking into the room, he came to stand beside her bed, reaching down to take her hand in his while the other gently pushed a strand of hair off her face, softly saying “Hey Baby.” Trying to not let her see how close he was to crying, she needed him to be strong now. 

“Steven,” she croaked, trying to give him a smile, or what she hoped was a smile as her face was so sore it hurt to move it, hopefully it didn’t look half as bad as it felt. 

""Baby, I'm so glad that you're okay. I was so worried." He pausing to keep the emotions from overwhelming him. “You scared the hell outta me, all of us. So badly.”

"Stay" Jackie asked as her fingers tightening on his hand before her eyes closed, not able to stay awake any longer. Able to sleep with him there now. 

"All night." He promised, leaning over to gently kiss her forehead before letting go of her hand to bring the chair from the other side of the room and put down beside Jackie in her bed. Taking her hand again, he leaned on the bed settling in for the night. 

"I love you Jackie.”


	5. Chapter 5

Visiting hours at the hospital began at 10 am but everyone had gathered by 9am in the waiting room, after going home around midnight at Kitty’s insistence. Telling them they wouldn't be able to see her until the next morning and wouldn’t do her any good being exhausted.

The adults had decided the kids could go in two at a time and for a short periods, not wanting to overwhelm her and not sure how coherent she would be. Kitty and Red had talked to the Doctor, who thought Jackie would be a full recovery physically and early indications were that her head injury would be fine but only time would truly tell. The nurses had let Kitty know that Steven had slept in the chair for the night, only leaving to go to the bathroom. 

"Okay, dumbasses, listen up" Red bellowed to get everyone’s attention, “You will each get to see Jackie but only 2 at a time and for short periods. And you will all be on your best behaviour, got it? Or my foot will be so far up your ass, you’ll be thankful you’re in a hospital where they can do surgery quickly.” 

"How long until she can come home,” Donna asked.

"We don't know, dear, but hopefully soon. Now let’s go,” Kitty said walking to the elevator as everyone followed. 

Donna and Eric were the first ones to go in, Jackie awake, sitting up in the bed with Hyde sitting beside her while watching the TV before saying something quietly causing Jackie to smile. 

“Hey Guys,” Donna said trying to keep the shock out of her voice while looking at her face. Both of Jackie's eyes were black with the right own swollen almost shut, her nose broken with a bandage on it and a fat lip. God, no one better say anything or show her a mirror because she would freak, Donna planned to make that clear before anyone else came in. Especially Kelso and Fez. 

"Hey Jackie, Hyde. How's it going?" Donna said with a smile while pulling up the other chair in the room. “How you feeling today?”

“Better,” Jackie said quietly, “tired.”

“She can’t really say much, her throat is sore from the tube they had to put in when bringing her in. So,” Hyde said with an evil smile at Jackie, “enjoy it while you can. The silence is great, plus you win all the arguments.” Jackie glared at him and weakly hit him in the arm. 

“So, I can talk all the Star Wars I want and she won’t say anything mean? Or kick me?” Eric said with a grin. 

“No,” Jackie said as loudly as she could as everyone laughed before the three began to talk and she largely just listened. After about 10 minutes she began to fade back to sleep, once Donna saw she had drifted off she got up and waved for the two guys to follow her out. Steven shook his head but after a few violent waves of her hand he got up slowly followed her out, closely shutting the door behind him.

“Hey guys” Steven said once in the hallway to everyone standing around. “Jackie’s asleep so you can’t go in right now. Maybe come back in a while? And she’s still pretty out of it so you have to be quiet and expect her to drift in and out of sleep.”

"And, guys, if any of one of you, Fez and Kelso, mention her face to her I'll break your legs" Donna said.

"Why, what's wrong with her face?" Kelso asked. "Jackie's always gorgeous. Well, except when she's sick then she's kind of ugly.”

"Kelso, she did a face plant into a steering wheel. How do you think her face looks? No one mentions it, got me?" Donna took a menacing step towards the two guys who all quickly nodded their heads.

Everyone took a turn seeing Jackie, with Donna making Fez and Kelso go in separately with her to make sure they didn't say anything dumb. Jackie awake on a x off throughout the day and visits, Hyde never leaving her side except for the bathroom and to eat some food.

By 3pm, everyone had begun to wander home except him, the Foreman's and Donna.

"Listen Steven," Kitty said to him in the hallway after dragging him out of a sleeping Jackie's room, "Erica will drive you home so you can shower and change. Plus eat some real food, there are leftovers from supper dinner the other night. Eric will warm them up while you shower."

"I'm fine, I should stay --" Hyde started and stopped as Kitty raised her hand.

"This isn't a discussion, you are leaving. Myself, Red and Donna will stay with Jackie. And don't worry, she'll be fine and here when you get back.". Kitty pulling him in for right hug and whispering in his ear, "I love you Steven."

Him pulling her closer, needing the comfort of his mom, the only real mom he'd ever had. 

"Okay, but I won't be long. I'm just going to go tell Jackie." Knowing there was no point in arguing with Mrs Foreman.

"Hey Baby," Steven said after walking back into her room, Jackie awake and emailing at him. "Listen I'm going to go home for a quick shower, change and food as ordered by Mrs. Foreman. Her, Red and Donna are going to stay til I'm back, okay? I'll be back in an hour or so, okay?"

Jackie nodded before speaking quietly, "Can you bring me my book from the nightstand?"

"At Donna's? Sure, what is it?"

"Why would my book be at Donna's? It's on your nightstand, the new Nancy Drew I'm reading.". Jackie giving himaa bewildered look.

"Jackie, your book isn't at my place. It's-"

"Of course it is, I left it there last night or 2 nights ago when I slept over. Remember, you wanted me to turn off the light but I wanted to finish the chapter?"

"Jackie what are you talking about your stuff is at Donna's place. Remember?". Looking at Jackie like she had lost her mind not just her spleen in the accident.

"Steven, my stuff is in your room or my room at the house. Why would it be at Donna's?" Now Jackie looking at him as if he was crazy, or as well as she could with 2 black eyes and a fat lip.

And a thought began to dawn on Hyde. A horrible thought he didn't fully understand.

"Jackie when do you think it is?" Steven asked cautiously.

"Steven, its March. When else would it be." 

Staring at her with the growing realization that she didn't know they were broken up. That Jackie thought they were still together, she didn't know or remember, he wasn't sure which, that he had cheated or that she had dumped him. 

"Jackie, do you remember the Photohut closing?"

"Steven, I'm really tried just bring my book? Please?" she said drifting off. "Love you."

"Oh man. . ."


	6. Chapter 6

"Mrs. Foreman, we have a problem, I think. . Maybe? I'm not sure" Hyde said walking up to her outside of Jackie's room.  
"What's the matter Steven?" Kitty asked worriedly.  
"Jackie. I - I don't think she remembers or knows what month it is. Before I left she asked me to bring back her book from my nightstand but she took that with her when she moved to Donna's. And since we broke up, I definitely don't have it in my room. Plus I asked her what month she thought it was and she told me March. That's not good Mrs. Foreman. She's sleeping now and I think she'll be out for a while" he finished lamely. "I don't think she remembers us breaking up. She doesn't actually still love me."

Hyde put his sunglasses back on before she could see the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Okay, Steven, listen, this is probably just a recovery thing. I'll go talk to the doctor and we'll go from there, talk to Jackie and figure out what is going on. But you are going home as we discussed. When you get back, I'll have some answers." Kitty said. 

"Yeah but --"

"No buts. Eric, come drive Steven home and Donna you go sit with Jackie til I come back."

Once everyone had gone to their specified ways, Kitty and Red went to find a doctor. 

*********

Hyde sat in Eric's car unable to stop his brain. Had Jackie forgotten everything that had happened between them? 

In a weird way, he thought the accident would be good for his relationship with Jackie. Not in a way he wished it happened but in a she would remember how much they love each; how much she loved him. And when she had been asking for him, HIM not Kelso, for him to stay it was the most hope he'd felt in months. 

And even if she hasn't wanted him, he wouldn't have left her side. 

Bit the thought that Jackie thought they were still together, didn't remember that horrible night when he had slept with the nurse hadn’t even crossed his mind as an option. 

"Hyde, yo Hyde," Eric said loudly, "We're home."

"What? Oh yeah," Hyde said, getting out of the car. "Umm, I'll go shower, give me 10 minutes."

“Sure, I’ll be in the kitchen,” Eric said watching Hyde walk out of the kitchen and up to the washroom. “Fuck.”

It had been a long summer for Eric, watching his best friend/brother go back to his “I don’t care about anyone” ways when, in all honesty, Jackie had started to bring him out of that. Made Hyde, as much as it pained Eric to admit as Jackie was the devil, a happier person. Or at least not as miserable. But if she didn’t remember Hyde or anything before the break up what would happen when she did? 

Twenty minutes later, Hyde sat in Eric’s front seat having showered and eaten a quick sandwich to head back to the hospital. 

“Shit, we gotta go back. I have to get Jackie’s book from Donna’s,” Hyde said, remembering part of the reason he had come home as Eric drove down the street twenty minutes later. 

“Crap, I forgot about it too. Okay, let me get turned around.” Pulling into Donna’s driveway, Eric turning to look at Hyde, already getting out of the vehicle, “Do you want me to come with you? Or go?”  
“No, I know how to get to Donna’s room plus, I’ll grab her some stuff. You don’t need to rifle through my girlfriend’s underwear, Foreman.”

Hyde was out of the car and running up to the house so he didn’t hear Eric say “She ain’t your girlfriend, man.”

Hyde came to a halt once entering the room, the smell of Jackie’s perfume overwhelming him. God, he hadn't been back here since telling Jackie he loved her and her saying she didn't love him. He could hear it echoing off the walls.

"Well, I don't love you."

Another person who didn't love him because he screwed up. 

He couldn't think of that now, pushing the pain and tears he refused to acknowledge down. Jackie needed him in the here and now, not lost in their crappy past. Running a hand through his hair while looking around, he saw a book on the low table beside Jackie's cot/bed, on top of her diary. Should probably grab that too, considering she took it everywhere, while noticing it wasn't the same one she had when staying with him. Probably filled with lists of why she hates him, he thought sarcastically. 

Out of the corner of his eye a flash of blue caught his eye, just underneath of the blankets on the unmade bed. Stevie Bear. In an unmade bed, so Jackie.

A flash of a memory, arguing with Jackie about making the bed cause she'd gotten up after him and her saying she didn't make beds. Besides what was the big deal? Honestly, if anyone had guessed who made the bed, him or Jackie, they would have picked her but it was the one thing he was oddly anal about. After spending most of his life with no bed, getting kicked out of his bed or sleeping on the floor having one at the Foreman's meant a lot and after mumbling how it was the first bed that belonged to him solely she'd started to make it. Though not without grumbling about needing a maid or that she shouldn't be expected to make a bed being so cute.

He loved how she could figure things out for like that, doing things for him that he found hard to talk about while not making a big deal of them. 

Grabbing the bear from the bed, looking and grabbing the empty bag on the floor to stuff everything into, to quickly go back down to the car.

"Got it?" Foreman asked as he got in.

"Yeah, let's go," Hyde said holding up the bag which he hadn't zipped up. 

The drive back to the hospital and parking went by in relative silence, until they were riding up in the elevator and Eric spoke.

"Man, is that a blue stuffed bear in the bag?"

Looking down to realize that Stevie's head stuck almost out of the bag, he went to push it down.

"Fuck off, Foreman."

"Oh my God, IT IS!! Did you buy it for her? It's a love you gift isn't it?" Eric said, now pulling on the bag, wanting to get a better look at the bear.

"Foreman fuck man, let go. None of your Goddamn business," Hyde said as the tug of war over the bag escalated once on the floor. 

"C'mon Hyde, I want to see the love bear.". With a hard tug from Eric, the bag flipped over dumping its contents on the floor. 

"Jesus Foreman, could you be more of an immature ass?". Kneeling down, Hyde began grabbing the 2 books and bear before notice the pictures on the floor.

Pictures of him, him and Jackie and the photos of them from the photos booth. The ones from the summer when they had first gotten together, him glaring at the camera while she smiled, the one after they'd told everybody with her kissing his neck Hyde smiling at the camera. And the four taken about 2 weeks before their break up in the photo booth at the hub; the top one of Jackie on his lap, laughing as he whispered something into her ear, the second of her grinning with a blissed out look as he nuzzled her neck and the last two of them kissing. 

Jackie had asked him if he'd wanted any of them but he'd said "Whatever," not wanting her to realize how much he actually wanted them. A picture of how happy he made her. Him not Kelso. That he put that look on her face. And now, seeing them, God, he just wanted it again, whatever price he had to pay.

"Crap, sorry Hyde," Foreman said, kneeling down and grabbing the bear and the empty bag while Hyde stared at the photos. "Hyde!"

Looking up with a shake of his head to Eric now standing "Look we just need to get this to Jackie. Give me Stevie,” he said motioning to the bear, not paying attention to what exactly he sa

“Stevie? His name is Stevie?” Foreman said, doubling over with laughter, “You gave her this didn’t you? You gave her a stuffed blue bear and she named it after you. Stevie. And now you called it Stevie and --” 

"Give me the Goddamn bear, Foreman, adn shut your mouth,” grabbing the bear from him and striding down the hallway to Jackie’s room.

“Okay, STEVIE.” Hyde’s only response was to raise his middle finger and hold it up to Foreman.  
Pausing in front of the door, he took another look at the pictures before shoving them back into her diary. All but the one photo booth one, those he slipped into his pocket before pushing the door open and seeing Jackie quietly laying on the bed, sleeping. Walking up to the bed, he quietly put the bag on the side table before putting the bear on teh bed beside her.

“Brought you Stevie, baby,’ he whispered, settling in to spend the night again, “and your books.”


End file.
